THE man who invented the radio football phone-in and became a living legend in Birmingham and the Black Country has finally got on his bike.

Tony Butler, the host whose abrasive style won him worldwide fame through comic Jasper Carrott’s famous account of a live football broadcast, has finally switched off his microphone for good.

Presenter Butler, now 77, was essential listening for football fans for decades during a career with commercial and BBC local radio.

Supporters would religiously tune in on a Friday evening to air their pre-match views about one of the region’s teams and go back for seconds the following day after the final whistle had sounded. More often than not they received an ear-bashing for their trouble but each week they would come back for more.

Some had never even been to a match – but his regular army of followers were armchair experts and former journalist Butler was their sounding board – like the man at the end of the bar who always had an answer for everything.

The former Birmingham Mail sports reporter, who now lives in Wolverhampton, has hardly stopped for breath since he first climbed on the media merry-go-round as a 14-year-old. His CV has included local and national newspapers, network radio and even a TV series bearing his name.

But the last chapter has now closed on his career – at least for the time being – because of ill-health brought on by a heart problem.

“I think you know when it’s time to say enough is enough. You can’t go on climbing in and out of cramped Press boxes when you are in your 70s,” he said.

But his retirement will leave a yawning gap in the listening habits of his fans – and also colleagues in the media.

Tom Ross, Birmingham Mail columnist and Free Radio head of sport, brought Butler back on air after he had initially stepped down in 2009.

“He was a broadcasting icon. He gave me my chance in radio so I thought I would give him a job when he came back on air for the Friday phone-in.

“People would go out on a Friday and Saturday night and boast about how they had been cut off by Butler like it was a badge of honour. His style was unique and he will be missed by thousands of listeners,” he said.

Butler has always been close to controversy both on and off the air. He was once sacked by BRMB after a row with a disabled fellow host and some of his colleagues even walked out on strike in his support.

In 1989 Radio WM’s reporters also found themselves banned from covering Wolverhampton Wanderers games after the club accused Butler of making racist comments about one of their players.

His brusque and often aggressive style would not be tolerated by today’s media bosses if he was just starting his career.

The presenter’s catchphrase “On ‘yer bike” was used to cut off callers whose opinions he disagreed with, while his encouragement for fans to “Get out their prayer mats,” would not be allowed now in case he offended certain religious groups.

But this confrontational style was the public face of a man with encyclopaedic knowledge of most sports.

During his early newspaper career he specialised in rugby, greyhounds and speedway and only really moved into football when his radio shows increased in popularity.

He was respected by fans and players and supporters still argue if he favours one West Midlands football team over another.

“I’ve only ever fallen out with one person. He was an ex-footballer but I’m not revealing who he was. When I did the breakfast show politicians would be wary of me because I like to chat to them like a man in the street.

“They would then accuse me of thrusting in the knife when it was not expected. But that was my style. I liked to inform and entertain,” he explained.

Today’s celebrity culture on TV and radio, especially BBC and Sky, where ex-players or Page 3 lookalikes are employed to host sports shows, saddens the broadcaster.

“The role of the trained journalist has been diminished. There are so many good reporters who know their stuff much more than these celebrities and ex-players. It’s sad because they seem to be incapable of intelligent reaction,” he scolded. But it will always be that Jasper Carrott monologue about West Bromwich Albion’s 1976 promotion party at Oldham that most people remember. Live on air, Tony asked a reporter to find one of the Baggies stars for interview, but the journalist at the scene shocked listeners by revealing the Albion star had “p****d off” and couldn’t be found.

“Jasper warned me to watch his TV show the day he was due to talk about my programme. I couldn’t believe it afterwards. My phone didn’t stop ringing for hours,” he laughed.

The broadcaster could offer hours of hilarious anecdotes about his career. But his strong West Midlands accent will be sadly missed on the air meaning thousands of angry Brummies will have no-one to shout at.

Tony revealed: “The men were never too bad. It was the women who were worst – their language was terrible. I always imagined little old ladies sitting at home swearing at the radio.

“You meet some nice people in sport, but you also meet some right so-and-so’s,” he said.

“I’d love to return again if my health improves – especially if Blues and Wolves are promoted and the Baggies and Villa do well in the Premier League. I have thoroughly enjoyed everything I’ve done. But at the moment I just want to get my health back.”